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Screenwriter, healthcare IT consultant, cinephile, oboist, erstwhile physicist, sports fan, and Wisconsinite.
My blog, Northwoods Listener, features an eclectic mix of subjects – history, philosophy, Shakespeare, music, and classic film, to name a few. You may also hear about various sports in their seasons and especially about professional tennis, whose season lasts for nearly the entire calendar year.
Please see my first post, "3, 2, 1,..." (http://wp.me/p4OZFj-4) for additional biographical information.
I am on LinkedIn (Cynthia Tanner, Madison, Wisconsin) and on Twitter (@CJSTTwo).

Into the Arms of Angels, Part 7 of 14

For Part 1 and a glossary of screenwriting abbreviations, please click here.

(Each installment concludes with a link to its successor.)

INT. A CONFERENCE ROOM AT COUNTY DAIRY – FRIDAY EVENING

Joe and Otto sit at a table. In front of Joe is a laptop computer. Nearby are a few stacks of paper.

Toby leans against the door frame, having stopped by to chat.

JOE

They want us out there on Monday, which gives us three days and, I expect, three long nights.

Phil breezes past in the corridor and overhears Joe’s remark.

PHIL (O.S.)

Sleep is overrated.

Phil stops in the doorway and looks into the room.

PHIL (CONT’D)

Really – Why would you spend any longer than necessary in a state so close to death?

Phil sweeps out of the room and continues down the corridor.

Toby nods at Otto and Joe and walks away.

INT. A CONFERENCE ROOM AT COUNTY DAIRY – LATE SATURDAY NIGHT

The “white board” is covered with scrawl and the table strewn with papers. Joe and Otto are disheveled and exhausted.

JOE

…after company overview and history we have product lines, then markets, then ops, then financials, then futures –

OTTO

Ops after markets?

JOE

Or markets after ops. I’m good either way. We need to choose.

OTTO

What feels better?

JOE

Ops first.

OTTO

Then first it is.

JOE

Do we have revenue projections?

OTTO

Owen just brought them.

JOE

And market profiles?

OTTO

From Jerri at noon.

JOE

Staffing proposal?

OTTO

Done.

JOE

Product samples?

OTTO

In my carry-on.

JOE

And the slide show – that’s on me – finished – just needs a run-through. What am I forgetting?

OTTO

Your wife? Had a chance to tell her that you’re leaving?

JOE

She doesn’t seem to mind.

OTTO

Joe?

JOE

Don’t know if she’ll even be home tonight. Her shifts are always changing. If I see her I’ll kiss her goodbye.

OTTO

Joe?

JOE

What?

OTTO

Maybe you should take some time later, a little vacation.

JOE

Can’t think past Bongo right now. Are we done?

OTTO

Yes. We’re OK.

Joe begins to collect his papers.

JOE

Good. Then tomorrow?

OTTO

The cab’ll pick you up at 11.

Joe stops gathering papers and grins.

JOE

We’re good to go, and I’m excited. Are you?

Otto smiles back.

OTTO

Yes, Joe. I’m happy for you. Now go home.

INT. A SHIFT REPORT ROOM AT ST MARY’S – 11 PM SATURDAY

A table, chairs, and a shelf fill a small room. Nine nurses, including Suzette, listen as Chris reads shift assignments.

CHRIS

I’m on 7P to 7A. Cheryl’s on 7A to 3P, then Diane has PMs. Census is high, so Jill and Cindy are floating with us. Marge and Joy have telly. 659B coded in PMs and transferred to CCU. Jill, you OK with 654A? He’s been combative.

JILL (late 20s, heavy-set, brown hair in a ponytail) nods.

CHRIS (CONT’D)

OK – Oh, and one more note – Mr. Ripp in 645: his family asked us to call with any changes. Jan and Darlene, you OK with that?

Two nurses in the room nod.

CHRIS (CONT’D)

OK, let’s go do it.

The group files out of the room. Suzette stays behind.

SUZETTE

Long time no see, stranger.

CHRIS

Hey, Suze. Yeah, sorry, I’ve been swamped.

SUZETTE

For most of a week? Not even hi?

CHRIS

Really – I’m sorry.

SUZETTE

No worries, Chris. Truly. But it’s not like you.

Chris looks up and then returns her attention to her clipboard.

SUZETTE (CONT’D)

Chris, is something wrong? Oh God, tell me no one’s sick!

CHRIS

We do have a full house tonight – three AFibs and two post-CABG, four diabetics, two with C.A.…

SUZETTE

No, silly. I mean your mom, your dad –

CHRIS

Oh, they’re fine, thank God.

SUZETTE

Your sisters, Joe…

Chris looks up at Suzette then back down at her clipboard.

SUZETTE (CONT’D)

Joe’s not sick?

CHRIS

No. That’s good.

SUZETTE

What’s he done, Chris? You can tell me. C’mon hon, out with it. For God’s sake, don’t be like him.

Chris looks up again.

CHRIS

Heaven forbid.

SUZETTE

Where is he? At home? I’ll go out there when I’m finished, and I’ll rip that man a new –

CHRIS

Actually, I’m not really sure where he is. We’ve hardly seen each other for days.

SUZETTE

The jerk doesn’t know what he’s missing. I’ll talk some sense into him. Where’ll he be when I –

CHRIS

Probably gone.

SUZETTE

Gone?

CHRIS

To the airport for a 1:10 flight to New York.

SUZETTE

And you know this?

CHRIS

Oh, it’s not what you think. It’s a business trip.

SUZETTE

That’s what’s got you – ?

CHRIS

No. Of course there’s more.

Chris walks to door of the break room. Suzette briefly puts an arm around Chris. Chris exits first, followed by Suzette.

EXT. DANE COUNTY AIRPORT – SUNDAY AFTERNOON – ESTABLISHING

Joe and Otto arrive at the airport by cab, pay the driver, and enter the building.

INT. DANE COUNTY AIRPORT – SUNDAY AFTERNOON

MONTAGE

Joe and Otto check a video screen and see that their flight has been delayed.

Otto speaks urgently with a check-in agent. Joe walks up to join Otto at the check-in desk.

Joe shows his ID and boarding pass at the front of the security line. The security agent points to a mark on Joe’s boarding pass and directs him to a “special screening area.”

Joe is patted down and wanded.

Otto finds Joe’s predicament amusing.

In the gate area, Joe works on his laptop while Otto reads.

A female gate agent changes the flight time from 2:30 to 4:00.

As time passes, Otto and Joe become more rumpled and agitated.

The gate agent finally makes a boarding announcement.

GATE AGENT

Ladies and gentlemen, again we apologize for the delay this afternoon. We appreciate your patience as O’Hare has been dealing with some weather.

Joe and Otto re-pack their bags for boarding.

GATE AGENT (CONT’D)

At this time I’d like to invite all passengers seated in group 1, any families traveling with small children, and anyone else who might need extra time in boarding to give your boarding passes to myself at the door marked “3.”

INT. AN AIRCRAFT, ENROUTE FROM MADISON TO CHICAGO – SUNDAY

Each row has one seat on the left and two on the right.

PILOT (O.S.)

Ladies and gentlemen, we are holding over Chicago. The storms have left the area, but the tower hasn’t yet cleared us to land. We’ll keep trying, but if we’re not cleared in the next ten minutes we will have to go to our back-up airport – which, as it turns out, is Madison.

Joe leans back in his seat and closes his eyes.

INT. ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL CAFETERIA – SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Chris picks up a yogurt and places it next to an apple on her tray. Suzette has a protein bar and a cup of coffee.

SUZETTE

So what’s in New York? A woman?

CHRIS

God, no. Of that I am sure – Joe’s not going for a woman. It’s more of a pilgrimage. He’s pitching to a company that tried to buy County five years ago.

SUZETTE

A pilgrimage? Sounds more like a corporate second date.

Chris laughs.

EXT. A RUNWAY AT CHICAGO’S O’HARE AIRPORT – SUNDAY

Joe’s and Otto’s aircraft lands at O’Hare.

PILOT (O.S.)

Lucky break, folks. We’re on approach to runway 23 right. We thank you all again for your patience, and I can promise you that the crew is just as happy as you are to reach Chicago.

INT. ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL CAFETERIA – SUNDAY AFTERNOON

Suzette pays her bill. Chris stands behind her in line.

CHRIS

New York is also where Gabriel died.

SUZETTE

Gabriel – He’s the one who…

CHRIS

Yes.

Chris pays her bill.

SUZETTE

Joe really loved him, didn’t he?

CHRIS

Uh-huh…We both did…and still do. Maybe that’s part of the problem.

The women walk to a table. The cashier ‘swipes’ a debit card.

INT. THE CHECK-IN DESK OF A NEW YORK HOTEL – SUNDAY NIGHT

A well-manicured hand pushes a hotel check-in form across a marble counter toward Joe.

CHECK-IN CLERK (O.S.)

Your key, Mr. Kleinschmidt, and your room number.

The clerk circles a number with a pen. Joe takes the form.

JOE

Thanks.

Joe steps away from the counter and turns toward Otto, who has already checked in.

CHECK-IN CLERK

Oh, Mr. Kleinschmidt, a message for you…from a Mr. Goddard.

The clerk hands Joe a slip of paper. Joe glances at the paper and looks up at the clerk.

JOE

Thanks again.

Joe and Otto walk to a bank of elevators. Otto pushes a button.

OTTO

What does Phil want at this hour?

Joe folds the slip of paper and stuffs it into a pocket.

OTTO (CONT’D)

Something important?

JOE

It must be, for him.

Joe and Otto enter an elevator. Joe pushes 7. Otto pushes 11.

OTTO

Well?

JOE

He says if Pulaski comes through they might need my office. I’m to be ready to move when we get home.

The elevator doors open.

OTTO

Hmmm. Let’s translate that as, “Good luck presenting to Bongo.”

Joe steps out of the elevator and silently bids Otto good night. The elevator doors close.